Before you come aboard

Start by registering through Join the Voyage. When a leg becomes available, we email the list with its route, proposed dates and cost. If it suits you, reply or express interest on Open Voyages using the email address you registered with. You then join that trip's shortlist, and we contact people personally to discuss joining us.

No. Registration involves no payment and no commitment. Expressing interest in a particular voyage is not a confirmed place either. It tells us you would like to discuss that trip, rather than reserving it automatically.

We work down the trip's shortlist in list order. People highest up the list get priority, so registering earlier puts you further up the queue when a voyage that interests you is announced. Being on the list does not guarantee a place on every trip.

Not necessarily. You might join for an afternoon, a few days or a longer stretch, depending on the route and what is practical. We are travelling from one place to another anyway. There is no fixed menu of trip lengths: we discuss where and for how long you could join.

Our approach is one guest party at a time, with Mike and Kate aboard as your crew. Tell us who would like to come so we can discuss whether the particular leg and accommodation suit your group.

Yes. We are happy to accommodate film and television crews, and there is plenty of space on the stern and bow decks to film. The main thing to plan around is her speed: she sails at displacement speed, so 8 to 10 knots plus or minus the tide. The Film and TV page sets out what the boat can offer a shoot and what to settle with us first.

Yes. We can moor Che Bella Vita close to your wedding venue, and the master suite, a European king bed with its own shower and head, is yours for the journey. On a whole-boat stay we leave you alone aboard overnight, so you have both bedrooms, with the boat moored safely and a phone line to us. The Honeymoons page sets out the detail, and we will plan the occasion with you personally.

We quote personally for each leg, taking account of the time aboard and your party. There is no published price list or instant checkout. The voyage announcement gives the cost, and we can talk through the details before you decide.

Our VIP experience includes personal hosting by Mike and Kate, a glass of Champagne on arrival served by the crew, quality home-made food and high-speed satellite internet for all your devices. All-inclusive hospitality aboard covers the meals, drinks and any overnight accommodation agreed for your trip, with towels provided too. Supervised boating and tender use are available when conditions allow. We confirm the full inclusions and any extras before you commit. Travel to and from the boat and third-party arrangements are discussed separately, so do not assume they are included.

We handle these arrangements personally after discussing the trip with you. Registering or joining a shortlist is not confirmation. Ask us to confirm your place, the agreed cost, how and when payment is due, and the cancellation arrangements before paying or making travel commitments.

Contact us as soon as possible. Cancellation and any refund arrangements need to be agreed for your particular voyage before you accept a place. This page does not promise a standard refund or a transferable deposit.

Weather, water conditions, closures or a problem with the boat can change what is possible. We will need to discuss the effect on your trip with you. Before committing, ask how changes, cancellation, payments and any travel costs would be handled. Do not assume a replacement trip or refund is automatic.

Not at present. Che Bella Vita is not yet coded to take paying passengers on sea passages, so those legs are marked Closed. The Crinan and Caledonian canal passages are currently the only legs open for interest. Coastal stories elsewhere on the site describe our own journey, sometimes with family and friends aboard, not sea trips offered to paying guests.

No. This is a real voyage, not a fixed timetable. Weather, water levels, locks, tides where relevant and the boat's needs all influence our progress. The route and dates in an announcement describe what we hope to do, rather than a guarantee of every stop or arrival time.

The skipper decides what is safe and practical. We may need to wait, change our plans or not travel. Our priority is the boat and everyone aboard, not keeping to a promised sightseeing schedule.

Not necessarily. We usually travel from A to B. Discuss the joining and leaving points with us, and plan how you will reach the boat and travel onwards or return afterwards. Do not assume that a trip is a round journey.

A walk, a village or a quiet mooring can be part of life aboard. Opportunities depend on where we are, suitable moorings and how the journey unfolds. We cannot promise a particular attraction or shore stop on every leg.

There are two bedrooms below. The master suite at the bow has a European king bed, 150cm by 200cm, and its own shower and head, reached only through the bedroom: that is our cabin while you are aboard. Guests stay in the second bedroom near the stern, which has a king size bed, with a shower and head directly opposite, which also serves as the day head. A double and a single bed can also be made up in the wheelhouse from the sofas, for children or extra guests, making up to five overnight guests in total. We opted for two bedrooms rather than three so the lounge could be larger. For honeymooners and anyone chartering the whole boat while we are moored up, we leave the boat overnight and you have both bedrooms. Discuss the sleeping arrangement with us before deciding.

The Boat page describes room for up to ten day guests. That is not a promise of ten available places on an offered voyage. Tell us your party size, including children, and we will confirm what is suitable and permitted for the particular trip.

We welcome you with a glass of Champagne on arrival, served by the crew, and take care of the catering with quality home-made food prepared aboard. Overnight guests have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Day guests have lunch, drinks, snacks and coffee through the day. We agree the menu and drinks with you when planning your trip. All alcohol is served by the crew; all-inclusive hospitality does not mean unlimited alcohol.

Tell us in advance about dietary needs and any allergies, including their severity. We can discuss what we can provide before you commit. Please do not assume that a boat galley is allergen-free or that every requirement can be accommodated.

The master suite has its own shower and head, and there is a second shower and head opposite the second bedroom that also serves as the day head. Towels are provided, and the aft deck has a canopy. The boat also has an air-conditioned interior. Ask us about bedding, heating or any specific comfort requirement for the season and accommodation you are considering.

Yes. Che Bella Vita has high-speed satellite internet for all devices, so passengers and crew have high quality internet access around the clock. There are no practical power limitations either, so phones, laptops and essential equipment can be charged whenever you need. If you have to work aboard or need power for specific equipment, tell us what you need for your trip and we'll confirm it fits.

A boat's water systems and heads are different from those at home. We will talk you through their use aboard. If you have a particular need for water, access to the heads or equipment, discuss it with us beforehand rather than assuming household facilities.

No boating licence or previous experience is needed to join us. Mike and Kate crew the boat. You can enjoy being aboard without taking on boating jobs, or learn as opportunities arise.

Yes, under owner supervision and when conditions allow. Depending on the journey, you can learn about helming, navigation, locks, line work, engine checks and water management. It is participation in a real boat's routines, not a promise of a formal training qualification.

Yes. Tender use for dads, lads and daughters is part of the hands-on boating experience, and mums are welcome too. The crew supervise, with activities chosen to suit the people aboard, the location and conditions. Discuss children's ages and needs with us when planning your trip. Tender use is never an unsupervised activity.

Families are welcome to discuss joining us. Tell us the children's ages and needs so we can assess the trip together. Children can try simple supervised tasks such as rope work, lookout, navigation and helming, and earn a signed Che Bella Vita Young Crew Certificate. It is a keepsake of their achievements, not a professional boating licence.

Before agreeing a trip, discuss lifejackets and suitable sizes for everyone, particularly children, along with any age limits and supervision arrangements. Tell us about non-swimmers or other concerns. Learning boating skills does not mean guests or children should take on unsupervised tasks.

Please talk to us before accepting a place. Boarding conditions vary with the mooring, and the bedrooms are below deck. We need to discuss actual boarding access, steps, access to the heads and any assistance you need. Do not assume step-free or wheelchair-accessible facilities.

Discuss any condition that could affect your safety, comfort or ability to board, and bring the medicines you need. Ask for advice from your own clinician where appropriate. Kate has healthcare training, but joining a voyage is not a medical-care service. If you are concerned about motion sickness, raise it before choosing a trip.

Our default answer is no. Our experience of pets aboard has been variable: owners have often assumed an animal would settle in, only to find it became stressed by the floating pontoons and the constant underlying motion of the boat. Bella was our much-loved ship's dog, but her place in our story does not mean guest pets are welcome. If you have an animal you genuinely need to bring, including an assistance dog, tell us about it and we will talk the particular trip through with you.

There is a strict no smoking policy anywhere aboard the vessel. Vaping is permitted on the stern deck or the bow deck. Alcohol is only permitted aboard when it has been served by the crew, so please do not bring your own. Tell us what you would like to drink when we plan the trip and we will arrange it.

The joining point and time depend on your voyage. Confirm the exact mooring, how to find the boat and a contact arrangement with us before setting off. A port or town name alone may not identify where you can board.

Comfortable non-slip footwear, waterproofs, warm layers and your usual medicines are sensible starting points. Sun protection is useful too, even on cooler days. Ask us about luggage space, bedding and any trip-specific items before packing for an overnight stay.

Check transport at both ends of the leg, not just the joining point. Parking and public transport depend on the location. Talk to us before buying inflexible tickets or assuming you can leave a car beside the mooring.

Contact us as soon as you know. Locks, tides where relevant and onward plans can affect whether the boat can wait. Agree how to reach us before travelling, and do not assume a late arrival can always be accommodated.